Godfrey Paul Holtom

Doctor of Chiropractic 1950 - 2015, Ottawa

In his 100th year Paul passed away in Ottawa where he most recently resided at Stittsville Manor. The last surviving brother of four World War II veterans (Roy, Joe and Doug) he was the patriarch of a very large extended family who looked to him as their link to the Holtom clan. Remarkably all four sons returned from the War to raise their families in Ontario and Saskatchewan. Raised in Ottawa during the great depression their Father Fred and Mother Edith struggled with very little to raise their four boys. Fred worked for CP Rail and Edith became a renown peace activist who continues to be celebrated through the Unitarian Church/ Edith Holtom Peace Lecture Series funded in part by the memorial fund established by her four sons.

Lovingly known as Poppy to his many friends and family, Paul will be forever missed and remembered for his humour, kindness and generosity. Having raised six children (Larry, Bob, Donna (Brian), Valerie (Frank), Beverly and John (Deborah)) he cherished time with family and spoke from a place of great pride of his ten grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.

During World War II he served in the R.C.A.F. for 5 years including a time in the Aleutian Islands fighting the Japanese. While a member of Squadron 111 it operated out of eight locations. Paul's love of poker started during his time on Kodiak Island in Alaska where he and members of his squadron played quite a bit to pass the time. While serving in the R.C.A.F. he met and married Betty Duncan who would follow him to College in Toronto and then return to Ottawa with two children.

Graduating from C.M.C.C. (Toronto) he began his long and dedicated chiropractic career in 1950. Committed to lifelong learning, Dr. Paul participated in many CE Courses, Conferences and continued his studies throughout his career. His patients knew him as a man of compassion and dedication, always putting patient care first. His commitment was to ensure patients had the best chiropractic care available and he shared his knowledge of functional and preventive health care generously improving the quality of life for so many over the years. "We love Doc Holtom for what he has done, he gave our family the gift of health" – Chris T 2014

He practiced on Richmond Road and then Somerset Street, followed by a smaller clinic in Stittsville, just before his retirement after 65 years of practice. His dedication to the field of Chiropractic earned him the highest respect throughout his profession and led him to serve 11 years on the Board of O.C.A., 3 years as President. He continued his Association work with 3 years on the C.C.A. Board, 5 years on the C.C.C.R. of which he spent 2 years as President and six years on the E.O.C.S. Board , with three years as President.

In his own words, "thanks to chiropractic I have had a wonderful life, and am thankful for the chance to meet and treat patients, family and friends and was able to restore their health and quality of life. I also attribute my own longevity and a life-time of good health to the great chiropractic care I have received over the years.”

As a Founding/Charter Member of the Granite Curling Club and life long member of the Ottawa Curling Club, years as an avid curler were spent at the Clubs in friendly competition on the ice and around the card table.

Some of his fondest memories were times spent fishing for trout in LaVerendrye Park, tending to his chickens, spending time on Dunrobin Shores (cottage years and later the family home), playing cards whether with family & friends or around a poker table with his gambling buddies. He loved the years spent traveling throughout North America in his motorhome (with then wife Maureen Boucher) and the community around him when he was at home in Florida. He was known for his love of wine, gardening, loyal pets, baking (wild blueberry pies), orchids, all things organic, and most of all a life well lived!

If friends and family wish to remember Paul a donation to the Edith Holtom Peace Lecture Series - Unitarian Church of Ottawa would be appreciated.

Click General & Fill In Edith Holtom Peace Lectures under comments - see link below